Multiple switch



Sept.A 27, 1927. 1,643,894

, R. LAW ET AL MULTIPLE swrTcH Filed sept. 11. 192e 2 sheets-Snead A Tram/E YS Patented Sept. 27, 1927. es

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noBnRT Lavv, .or woonsinn, ein) ,ripa/ann rotin serena, on ernannte; New Bronx.

MULTIPLE svvmon;

Applicationled september 11, 1926. SeralNo. 134,910.

This invention relates to electrical switches, and has especial reference i to multiple switches of the push "and turnbutton type.

i One of the principalobiects of the present inventiony is the production of a. multiple switch especially adapted to .be included in a vehicle direction signaling apparatus tor controlling a pluralityv of signals, such as electric lamps," and with which a person may feel the way to `the signal actuating positions of the button or manipulator of the switch, and therefore be all times assured that theinteiided signal is being operated.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention resides in the particular provision, 'constructionand functions of the parts hereinaftertiilly 'described and illusthe accompanying drawings, iii

trat-ed in which- Y "Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view through the` switch of the present invention, and showing the vmovable contact thereof "in one of its circuit closing positions.

L /Figz is a transverse" sectional 'view taken on the liueof- Fig. 1.

Fig. *3 is a transverse sectional view takenl o n the line ofFig. 1. A j

Fig. his an elevation of the under side of thegroundplate aiidcertaiii parts associated 3i therewith. I Fig. 5 "s a side elevation of the ground` plate. Fig. 6 is an elevation of anassemblage of parts carried the insulator base of the aswitch. i A Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the inovable contact.y i

F 8 is ,a perspective view of the yieldlable stops and carrier therefor.'f -10 Figs. 9, 10,`and 11 are different elevations of the hollow slidable shaft or arbor/of the switch.

Fig. 12 is an inverted plan view of the arbor spring tensioning member. Figs. 13` and 14 are' viewsrespectively of ythe two slide operating canis. f 15 isa view illustrating the `slideop- `eratiirgcams in place on the rend'of the arbor ywhichpermits movement thereof.

i. Figs. 16 and 17 are views respectively of the cani actuated slides.'

Fig. 18 is an invert-ed plan 4 view 'of the insulator basel' l The rswitch 'lof the present invention, Vas

stated, is of the' andturnbutton type, apdfs ,adapted to and 'plurali itya-of circuits by` pushing inwardly ontlie button fof the ,switch .and by turning `the button to on jorcircuit closing positions, andtooflql or .circuit openingfposition. 'llhe turning movement ofthe button,;in the `present instance, is within ,the -liinitsofa radius of .substantially 1800, and .it willV therefore be necessary, in accordance ,with one feature f the invention to vturn .the Lbutton clockwise or' ,to the left to one of the `circuit closing positions, and counter-clockwiselor to .the right vto another .circuit .closing position, so'lthat a ,person ,will at all Limes vbe able .to ,close a circuit through ay `particular V.signal wi'thoutlbeing aided -by ,any visual indications cu parts ofthe switch, but will be Aable to feelwthe lway in the Selectionnf the particular circuittobe closed. ,llllic'fbuttonV of the 4switch' may be turned leftand right to alternately .close a plurality offcircuits, said button having an` `intelmediate position in `whiolithe .circuits ,will be Open. A

l 'In .theV illustrated embodiment, the switch includes a. shell -10 of sectional lconstruction and comprises'an attaching part 11, anl annularpart 12 of insulating material, and il removable cap '18. Arranged inthe bottom of the shell and resting on the part v11 is a base-14 o-.f insulating material. The base 1li 4.has secured theretocontacts 15 Whose ter.-

niinals 16 are disposed above' the top face ofthe base 14 andare arranged ,diametrically opposite each other. Each of the (20.11* tacts 15 is a iixed Contact and will be elec'- trically connected in a'circuit 4with Va suitable signal'to be'actuated .when engaged by the movable contact 17' of the switch. The movable contact 17 fis shown most clear-ly in Fig. 7 and will be constructed to provide" relatively IieXible lingers l18, depending spacedparallel flanges 19, an up standing lug 2O and a circularopeiiing 21. A push and turnbutton 22 is provided and is guided for movement bythe wall of a circular opening in the cap 13. Arranged axially of the button 22 and secured thereto 'so asto move therewith is Ya shaft `Arranged for sliding movement on the shaft 23 "is alhollow shaft or arbor 24'. :The arbor .24

is revented from having turning movement with .respect to `the shaft `23 by-.virtue Sofa in 25 which extends Ltransversely through the shaft 23 and has the'opposite ends there- ,of respectively disposed in slots 2 6 in the upper end off the arbor 24. l lilier :movable fcntact 17 arranged on the .itbar 241 by virtue of the opening 21 therein and is capable of turning with respect thereto. A tensioning element 27 is arranged lon the arbor 24 and is held against turning movement with respect thereto by virtue of the flats 28 and 29 respectively on the arbor 24 and the element 27. The element 27 and the movable contact 17 are correlated, and both will be under the influence oill a coil spring 30 which surrounds a spacer 31 on the arbor 24. The spacer 31 is arranged between portions of the movable contact 17 and the tensioning element 27 so as to hold them in spaced relationship. One terminal 32 of the spring 30 is in engagement with a lug 33 on the element 27, and the other terminal 34 of the spring 30 is in engagement with the lug 2O of the movable contact. i

In order to releasably maintain the movable contact in the circuit closing positions with respect to the terminals 1 6, and in the intermediate circuit opening position, there is provided a means presently to be described. On the lower end 35 of the arbor 24, which end is of arcuate formation, arc cams 36. The cams are similar in construction,ea'ch being provided with an opening which conforms to the arcuate end 35, and to the lower end of the shaft 23. The cams 36 will be oppositely disposed on the end 35.

- The cams 36 coact respectively with portions of slides 37 and 38. The slide 37 is provided with a depending lug 39 and a central opening 40 in which its cam 36 is disposed so as to coact with the walls thereof. The slide 38 is substantially similar in construction to the slide 37 and has a depending lug 41, and an opening 42 which receives its cam 36 so as to coact with the walls of the opening. The slide 38 differs from the slide 37 in that the former has a` notch 43 for a purpose to appear. The slides 37 and 38 are arranged in superposed relationship between the flanges 19 of the movable contact, with the cams 36 disposed respectively in the openings 40 and 42 of the slides. A collar 44 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 23. Secured to the base 14 is aground plate 45, the plate being secured by screws 46 and a screw 47 which serves as a binding post for the ground connection. The cams 36 are arranged between a portion of the movable contact 17 and the plate 45. The plate has a. central opening through which the lower end of the shaft 23 extends, radial notches 48, and projections 49. The collar 44 limits ythe upward movement of the shaft 23 by engaging the. plate 45. Arranged in a recess in the base 14 is a carrier 50, shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 8. The carrier is provided with guides 51 radially disposed which accommodate stops 52 for sliding movement, there being provided a spring 53 which constantly acts on the stop 52 to hold the stops in radially outward active positions. Each of the stops 52 is permitted to move radially inward against the action of the spring 53. The stops 52 extend respectively into the notches 48 of the plate 45 and project upwardly lush with the upper face of the plate, thus preventing the carrier from turning. Each of the stops 52 is adapted to coact with the lugs 39 and 41. Two of the stops 52 are arranged with respect to the terminals 16, whereas, the third stop will be midway of the other stops so as to coact with the lugs 39 and 41 to hold the movable contact in intern'iediate or circuit opening position as distinguished from the circuit closing positions in whch the movable contact will be held when the lugs 39 and 41 coact with the stops 52 adjacent the terminals 16.

The button 22 and its shaft 23 may be moved inwardly so as to cause the lower end of the shaft 23 to contact with a terminal screw 54 electrically connected to a member 55 with which connection is made to a suitable signal such as a horn. A spring 56 is employed for yieldably maintaining the button 22 in a normal position against the actionk of the inward pressure.` rlhe spring 56 surrounds the upper end of the arbor 24 and has one end thereof secured to the button as at 57.

Vith the movable contact 17 in circuit closing position in which the fingers 18 thereof are in engagement with one of the terminals 16, at the right side of the switch as illustrated in F ig. 1, it will be impossible to turn the button 22 counter-clockwise due to the fact that the lug 39 will move into contact with one of the projections 49 of the plate 45, and in so doing iinpeding the action of the cams 36 on the slides 37 and 38. However, when the button 22 is turned clockwise as indicated by the arrow in F ig. 2, or in other words to the left, the cams 36 will act on the slides to move them to cause the disengagement of the lugs 39 and 41 from the particular stop 52. The lugs 39 and 41 are disengaged from the particular stop 52 in succession, first one and then the other. Meanwhile the spring 30 is being placed under tensionl as the arbor 24 is turned to turn the cams 36, and as the lugs 39 and 41 clear the particular stop 52 the movable contact 17 will be suddenly snapped in the same direction in which the arbor was turned to a circuit opening position. The lugs 39 and 41 will then engage the intermediate stop 52 which will yield due to the inclined faces 58 on the insides respectively of the lugs 39 and 41. By repeating the turning movement of the button 22 in the same-direction, namely, to the left the movable contact will be snapped to a position in which the fingers 18 will engage the terminals 16 at the left of the switch. The button 22 will be prevented lou Cil

Lll

from having further turning movementto the left or clockwise by virtue of the engagement of the lug 4l with one of the projections 49 adjacent the last mentioned terminal 16. The button 22 will thus be prevented from turning completely around, but will be limited in its turning movement to substantially 180 within the limits ot' which two separate circuits may be closed by virtue of the function of the movable Contact 17, which can also be moved to a circuit opening position. Under this arrangement and functions of the parts a person may selectively close a plurality of circuits, and in each case know exactly what particular signal is being rendered active by simply paying attention to the direction in which the but-ton 22 is moved.

I-Iaving thus described our invention, we

claim: l. In a multiple switch of the class described, a contact carrying arbor, means supporting the arbor for turning movement. in opposite directions, cams movable with said arbor, and said arbor being movable with respect to said cams, slides with portions of which said cams respectively co-act in the turning of said arbor, projections on said slides respectively, radially disposed stops, means supporting the stops for movement in opposite directions, yieldable means acting on said stops to hold them in the active position, said projections being engageable with each of said stops to hold the slides against turning movement, said projections being disengageable from each of saidV stops when engaged therewith in the sliding movement of said slides, and means acting on said slides causing said slides to turn rapidly when said projections are disengaged from either of said stops.

2. In a multiple switch ot the class described, a contact carrying arbor, means supporting the arbor for turning movement in opposite directions, cams movable with said arbor and said arbor being movable with respect to said cams, slides with portions of which said cams respectively co-act in the turning of said arbor, projections on said slides respectively, radially disposed stops, means supporting the stops for movement in opposite directions, yieldable means acting on said stops to hold them in the active positions, said projections being engageable with each of said stops to hold the slides against turning movement, said projections being disengageable from each of said stops when engaged therewith in the sliding movement of said slides, means acting on said slides causing said slides to turn rapidly when saidV projections are disengaged from either of said stops, and means limiting the turning movement of said arbor in opposite directions.

3. In a multiple switch of the class described, a contact carrying arbor, means supporting the arbor for turning movement in opposite dir-ections, cams movable with said arbor and said arbor being movable with respect to said cams, slides with portions of which said cams respectively co-act in the turning of said arbor, projections on said slides respectively, radially disposed stops, means supporting the stops for movement in opposite directions, yieldable means acting on said stops to hold them in the active positions, said projections being engageable with each of said stops to hold the slides against turning movement, said projections being disengageable from each of said stops when engaged therewith in the sliding movement of said slides, and means co-acting with portions of said slides to limit the turning movement of said arbor in opposite directions.

4. An electrical multiple switch including an arbor, fixed contacts arranged radially with respect to the axis of the arbor, a contact loosely arranged on said arbor for turning movement with respect thereto and adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with each ot said fixed contacts, means between the arbor and the contact arranged thereon allowing movement of the arbo-r while said contact is held against movement, and releasable means for holding the last mentioned contact against turning while the arbor is turning, said first mentioned means being operative to turn said last mentioned contact when said last mentioned means has operated to release said last mentioned contact.

ROBERT LAW. EDWARD JOI-IN SVVEDA.

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